Internet Protocol (IP) communication systems transfer IP packets among user devices and intelligent machines to provide data communication services like internet access, file transfers, media streaming, and user messaging. The IP communication systems are implementing several technologies in a contemporaneous manner to improve service delivery. These technologies include systems for Hardware Root-of-Trust (HRoT), Network Function Virtualization (NFV), and Software-Defined Networks (SDNs).
The HRoT systems ensure network security and control. The HRoT systems maintain physical separation between trusted hardware and untrusted hardware. The HRoT systems control software access to the trusted hardware but allow interaction between open and trusted software components through secure bus interfaces, memories, and switching circuits. The HRoT systems establish HRoT with one another by using secret HRoT keys physically embedded in their hardware to generate hash results for remote verification by other HRoT systems that know the secret HRoT keys and hash algorithms.
The NFV systems increase capacity and efficiency. NFV computer platforms run hypervisor software to execute various software modules during sets of processing time cycles—referred to as NFV time slices. The software modules often comprise virtual machines, such as virtual IP routers, Layer 2 switches, and the like. Different networks are mapped to different NFV time slices to isolate the networks from one another.
The SDN systems improve service provisioning and management. SDNs have separate control and data planes. SDN controllers interact with SDN applications to control SDN data plane machines. The SDN applications process application-layer data to direct the SDN controllers, and in response, the SDN controllers direct the SDN data plane machines to process and transfer IP packets. The SDN applications may comprise gateways, servers, and the like.
Unfortunately, the HRoT systems, NFV systems, and SDN systems are not effectively integrated together within IP communication networks.